Will the following code compile?

abstract class Element {
  def contents: Array[String]
}

class ArrayElement(conts: Array[String]) extends Element {
  val contents: Array[String] = conts
}

Explanation

Get an explanation when it's available:

Theory

In Scala, fields and methods belong to the same namespace. This makes it possible for a field to override a parameterless method. For instance, you could change the implementation of contents in class ArrayElement from a method to a field without having to modify the abstract method definition of contents in class Element
```
abstract class Element {
  def contents: Array[String]
}

class ArrayElement(conts: Array[String]) extends Element {
  val contents: Array[String] = conts
}
```
Field contents (defined with a val) in this version of ArrayElement is a perfectly good implementation of the parameterless method contents (declared with a def) in class Element.
Source: Overriding methods and fields